To address the affordability crisis, we must create cities with abundant housing of all types (subsidized, social, coop, market rate) and make walking, biking, and taking transit convenient.
#MusicChallenge
Day 14 - "She Doesn't Get It," The Format
Kids today only know one Duran Duran song, right 24-year-old Nate Ruess?
"She stops and she sings 'do do do do do do do do!'
I claim 'New Religion' is my song
She doesn't get it, it's all before she's born"
#MusicChallenge
Day 14 - "She Doesn't Get It," The Format
Kids today only know one Duran Duran song, right 24-year-old Nate Ruess?
"She stops and she sings 'do do do do do do do do!'
I claim 'New Religion' is my song
She doesn't get it, it's all before she's born"
12. "Gila Monster"
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
2023
Australia
ISC ✅
NKC ❌
The only real metal I've got in my Top 50, and it's arguably a spoof. But what a spoof! KG&TLW famously switches up genres every album, but they clearly know their thrash.
ALL HAIL KING GILA! WOO!
12. "Gila Monster"
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
2023
Australia
ISC ✅
NKC ❌
The only real metal I've got in my Top 50, and it's arguably a spoof. But what a spoof! KG&TLW famously switches up genres every album, but they clearly know their thrash.
ALL HAIL KING GILA! WOO!
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky
“No rules. The only limit is our imagination.”
Read 📚 & Play🎶
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky
“No rules. The only limit is our imagination.”
Read 📚 & Play🎶
#MusicChallenge
least obscure ➡️ who??
Day 14 - Lydia Loveless
📍 Columbus, OH
Monthly listeners: 11K
Of all the artists I'm featuring, I'm most shocked by just how #NotKnownEnough Loveless is. She oughta be as popular as pop-Americana peers like Amanda Shires & Waxahatchee, I say!
#MusicChallenge
least obscure ➡️ who??
Day 14 - Lydia Loveless
📍 Columbus, OH
Monthly listeners: 11K
Of all the artists I'm featuring, I'm most shocked by just how #NotKnownEnough Loveless is. She oughta be as popular as pop-Americana peers like Amanda Shires & Waxahatchee, I say!
13. "How Can I Love Her More?"
The Lemon Twigs
2024
USA
ICS ✅
NKC ❌
Beach Boys-esque Pop isn't a subgenre the same way that Beatles-esque Pop is. I'm more than OK with there being more stuff that sounds like PET SOUNDS in the world, and the D'Addario bros. nail the homage.
13. "How Can I Love Her More?"
The Lemon Twigs
2024
USA
ICS ✅
NKC ❌
Beach Boys-esque Pop isn't a subgenre the same way that Beatles-esque Pop is. I'm more than OK with there being more stuff that sounds like PET SOUNDS in the world, and the D'Addario bros. nail the homage.
#MusicChallenge
Day 13 - "Ronnie and Neil," Drive-By Truckers
Nearly any track from SOUTHERN ROCK OPERA would qualify for this, but I gotta go with the thesis statement that both builds and breaks down the mythos of the Skynyrd/Young feud. LET YOUR GUITARS BLAST FOR RONNIE & NEIL!
#MusicChallenge
Day 13 - "Ronnie and Neil," Drive-By Truckers
Nearly any track from SOUTHERN ROCK OPERA would qualify for this, but I gotta go with the thesis statement that both builds and breaks down the mythos of the Skynyrd/Young feud. LET YOUR GUITARS BLAST FOR RONNIE & NEIL!
#MusicChallenge
least obscure ➡️ who??
Day 13 - Fake Fruit
📍 Oakland, CA
Monthly listeners: 11K
High-octane post-punk. And high-octane things are volatile. You never quite know when the trio's humor, frustration, snarling guitars & jittery rhythms will erupt into a conflagration.
#MusicChallenge
least obscure ➡️ who??
Day 13 - Fake Fruit
📍 Oakland, CA
Monthly listeners: 11K
High-octane post-punk. And high-octane things are volatile. You never quite know when the trio's humor, frustration, snarling guitars & jittery rhythms will erupt into a conflagration.
#MusicChallenge
Day 12 - "XTC vs. Adam Ant," They Might Be Giants
Beatle-based pop versus new romantic ... even the singer from Bow Wow Wow can't make up her mind!
#MusicChallenge
Day 12 - "XTC vs. Adam Ant," They Might Be Giants
Beatle-based pop versus new romantic ... even the singer from Bow Wow Wow can't make up her mind!
14. "Tiny Moves"
Bleachers
2024
USA
ICS ✅
NKC ❌
Anybody heard of this Jack Antonoff guy? Apparently he has a career as a producer & songwriter in addition to fronting this nifty indie band.
This is such a bubbly little tune that builds to euphoria & a sax solo (of course).
14. "Tiny Moves"
Bleachers
2024
USA
ICS ✅
NKC ❌
Anybody heard of this Jack Antonoff guy? Apparently he has a career as a producer & songwriter in addition to fronting this nifty indie band.
This is such a bubbly little tune that builds to euphoria & a sax solo (of course).
—Construction cost inflation ate up most of the increased spending
—There was no move to increase support for transit—in fact, there appears to have been a greater focus on highway than before
—Construction cost inflation ate up most of the increased spending
—There was no move to increase support for transit—in fact, there appears to have been a greater focus on highway than before
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
#MusicChallenge
least obscure ➡️ who??
Day 12 - Reigning Sound
📍 Memphis, Tenn.
Monthly listeners: 17K
One of Greg Cartwright's many garage-punk projects, all of which are #NotKnownEnough. This is my favorite, though. Not quite as harsh as The Oblivians or The Compulsive Gamblers.
#MusicChallenge
least obscure ➡️ who??
Day 12 - Reigning Sound
📍 Memphis, Tenn.
Monthly listeners: 17K
One of Greg Cartwright's many garage-punk projects, all of which are #NotKnownEnough. This is my favorite, though. Not quite as harsh as The Oblivians or The Compulsive Gamblers.
15. "Sunset"
Caroline Polachek
2023
USA
ICS ✅
NKC ✅
Let's get in the zone!
For me, this was clearly the standout track from DESIRE, I WANT TO TURN INTO YOU. Nobody else seems to agree with me. But the Latin/Mediterranean vibes paired with them Polachek pop instincts!
15. "Sunset"
Caroline Polachek
2023
USA
ICS ✅
NKC ✅
Let's get in the zone!
For me, this was clearly the standout track from DESIRE, I WANT TO TURN INTO YOU. Nobody else seems to agree with me. But the Latin/Mediterranean vibes paired with them Polachek pop instincts!
#MusicChallenge
Day 11 - "Lou Reed Was My Babysitter," Jeff Tweedy
Track 1, Disc 3 from Tweedy's new album. The lyrics don't specifically mention Reed or The Velvet Underground, but speak to a lifetime spent as a fan of rock 'n' roll. Rawr!
#MusicChallenge
Day 11 - "Lou Reed Was My Babysitter," Jeff Tweedy
Track 1, Disc 3 from Tweedy's new album. The lyrics don't specifically mention Reed or The Velvet Underground, but speak to a lifetime spent as a fan of rock 'n' roll. Rawr!
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky
“No rules. The only limit is our imagination.”
Read 📚 & Play🎶
#MusicChallenge
#MusicSky
“No rules. The only limit is our imagination.”
Read 📚 & Play🎶
#MusicChallenge
least obscure ➡️ who??
Day 11 - The Starlight Mints
📍 Norman, OK
Monthly listeners: 17K
The indie-pop band got a lot of comparisons to The Flaming Lips, but 90% of that was probably just the fact that they were also from Oklahoma. The other 10%? Melodic kookiness.
#MusicChallenge
least obscure ➡️ who??
Day 11 - The Starlight Mints
📍 Norman, OK
Monthly listeners: 17K
The indie-pop band got a lot of comparisons to The Flaming Lips, but 90% of that was probably just the fact that they were also from Oklahoma. The other 10%? Melodic kookiness.
#MusicChallenge
Day 10 - “The Drinking Song,” Moxy Früvous
Musically “quotes” two waltzes that have become pop standards: “The Band Played On,” written in 1895 by John F. Palmer & Charles B. Ward and “Goodnight Irene, first recorded by Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter in 1933.
#MusicChallenge
Day 10 - “The Drinking Song,” Moxy Früvous
Musically “quotes” two waltzes that have become pop standards: “The Band Played On,” written in 1895 by John F. Palmer & Charles B. Ward and “Goodnight Irene, first recorded by Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter in 1933.
16. "Living Lo-Fi"
Cheekface
2025
USA
ISC ✅
NKC ✅
My final 2025 song. We'll see if it's still at No. 1 when I do my Best of 2025 list next month. America's Local Band is surely a bit much for people who, say, can't stand TMBG, but for the rest of you nerds I recommend highly.
16. "Living Lo-Fi"
Cheekface
2025
USA
ISC ✅
NKC ✅
My final 2025 song. We'll see if it's still at No. 1 when I do my Best of 2025 list next month. America's Local Band is surely a bit much for people who, say, can't stand TMBG, but for the rest of you nerds I recommend highly.
#MusicChallenge
least obscure ➡️ who??
Day 10 - Meernaa
📍 L.A. via Oakland
Monthly listeners: 18K
I’d file Carly Bond’s project under R&B/soul but it certainly has indie pop & psychedelic elements. Think along the lines of genre-bending songwriters like Nilüfer Yanya & SZA.
#MusicChallenge
least obscure ➡️ who??
Day 10 - Meernaa
📍 L.A. via Oakland
Monthly listeners: 18K
I’d file Carly Bond’s project under R&B/soul but it certainly has indie pop & psychedelic elements. Think along the lines of genre-bending songwriters like Nilüfer Yanya & SZA.
17. "Flowers Will Return"
Shannon and the Clams
2021
USA
ISC ✅
NKC ✅
My final #EastBay act, and the one with the biggest following outside the local scene here. The retro garage band gave me reassurance that we would emerge from the pandemic with one killer guitar-pop chorus.
17. "Flowers Will Return"
Shannon and the Clams
2021
USA
ISC ✅
NKC ✅
My final #EastBay act, and the one with the biggest following outside the local scene here. The retro garage band gave me reassurance that we would emerge from the pandemic with one killer guitar-pop chorus.